University Of Wisconsin System

University of Wisconsin – Stout, a state-controlled institution of higher learning operated by the University of Wisconsin System, acts as a federal grant recipient focused on undergraduate STEM education, advanced manufacturing extension services, and student support programs. The institution holds no federal contracts and operates exclusively as a recipient of federal grants and sub-grants across 21 distinct federal agencies.

The institution's grant portfolio spans undergraduate physics education transformation, manufacturing technology adoption and workforce development, student support services for disadvantaged populations, and disability services innovation. Recent prime grants include a $7.673 million National Institute of Standards and Technology cooperative agreement under the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (CFDA 11.611) awarded February 1, 2026, through which UW-Stout's Manufacturing Outreach Center delivers technical assistance in Lean, Six Sigma, ISO certifications, workforce upskilling, and roadmaps for AI and quantum computing adoption to Wisconsin small and medium-sized manufacturers. The center brings a documented 30-year track record of serving more than 575 manufacturers annually, creating or retaining over 34,000 jobs and generating $8.9 billion in economic impact. A $2.031 million Department of Education grant awarded January 1, 2026, supports the UW-STOUT FUSE (FAST UPSKILLING FOR SKILLS AND EMPLOYMENT) initiative through December 31, 2029, focused on institutional reforms and innovative postsecondary instruction strategies. An $8.170 million Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Disability Innovation Fund grant (CFDA 84.421) awarded October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2029, supports the Accelerated VR Training and Capacity Building Program to improve employment, education, and transition outcomes for individuals with disabilities. In undergraduate physics curriculum, NSF Division of Undergraduate Education grants fund collaborative research on computation integration into physics teaching, with a Level 2 Institutional and Community Transformation project awarded October 15, 2026, involving eleven universities and colleges, and a $200 thousand Research Experiences for Undergraduates site award supporting water quality research with Department of Defense partnership through September 30, 2028.

The Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education dominates the portfolio by award count (29 awards), anchored by TRIO Student Support Services programs including three separate September 2025 project grants totaling approximately $964 thousand for STEM-focused student retention, general student support services, and disability services. The Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service accounts for 26 awards across multiple sub-award cycles for National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) administration. The National Science Foundation contributes 13 awards focused on undergraduate STEM education and faculty development in computational physics. Sub-award activity includes recurring transfers from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for NSLP and CACFP operations beginning in early 2024, and manufacturing extension sub-awards from the Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing and Productivity, Inc. reflecting downstream delivery of NIST-funded manufacturing services to regional manufacturers.

Recent annual activity shows growth from four awards in 2023 to 22 in 2025, with ten awards awarded by October 2026. Only two awards reach ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months, indicating minimal recompete pressure in the near term. The institution's federal footprint is exclusively grant-funded with no competitive contracting activity or membership on government-wide acquisition vehicles; revenue flows from research and educational service delivery aligned with federal priorities in STEM workforce development, advanced manufacturing, and student support for disadvantaged and disabled populations.